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Outdoor Quad Skates: What Skaters Who Ride Outside Recommend
All 5 skaters and coaches in our compilation who talk about skating quads outside (Caro Hernandez, Dunbeezy, Dirty Deborah Harry, Lisa J and, indirectly, Estro Jen) put soft wheels on for the street. Add a firm boot, an aluminium plate and an adjustable toe stop, and you have the outdoor quad they describe. None of them gives a hardness number; the numbers on this page come from the skater behind this site and from a brand guide, and we say which is which.
Gear on this page: eleven products are named further down — Moxi Panther Roller Skates, Moxi Lolly Roller Skate - Fashionable Womens Quad Roller Skate, Sure-Grip Boardwalk Unisex Outdoor Roller Skates, Leather Boots, 82A Wheels, Moxi Beach Bunny, Impala Quad Skate, Radar Energy 62 mm 78A wheels, 4 pack, Sure-Grip Boardwalk wheels, 65 mm, set of 8, Generic 65 x 35 mm 78A quad wheels, 8 pack, Moxi Classic - Outdoor Roller Skate Wheels - 4 Pack 78A Wheels, Triple Eight Certified Sweatsaver Helmet, Triple Eight Wristsaver. They are optional, the page works without them, and the links to them are Amazon affiliate links.
Amazon prices were read on the listing on 7 October 2026, for the size and colour Amazon shows by default; other sizes and colours can cost more or less. Price and availability are set by Amazon and can change.
What top skaters and coaches recommend
Features first, brands only where a skater recommends one. Where a skater rides for, owns or sells through the brand, we say so.
Who we are quoting
- Carolina “Caro” Hernandez: Colombian bowl skater of the Concrete Is Beautiful generation, former derby player; rides for Moxi, and the video below is Moxi’s.
- Dunbeezy: teaches rhythm skating on YouTube (Dunbeezytv, about 24,500 subscribers); his standing outside YouTube is not verified; product links in his descriptions, no declared sponsor.
- Dirty Deborah Harry: coach behind Dirty School of Skate (about 299,000 subscribers); her competition record is not verified; the video was shot at a skate shop, and she says she backs no brand.
- Lisa J (Lisa Jaspers): outdoor skating creator and coach who says she has 35 years of skating, not independently verified; her own site probably carries affiliate links.
- Estro Jen (Michelle Steilen): founder of Moxi Skates and a leading figure of quad park skating; brand owner.
Wheels: soft outside, hard inside
- Dunbeezy’s base rule is soft wheels outdoors and hard wheels indoors, because hard wheels absorb shocks poorly. His exception: a very smooth outdoor floor, like a dance pavilion or a tennis court, takes indoor wheels (Dunbeezytv, 7 Jan 2025).
- Caro rides her street skate with its stock soft “gummy” wheels. Soft wheels put less impact on the knees — she used them after knee surgery — and on unpolished ground, “if you are a beginner this is amazing” (Moxi, 7 Oct 2020).
- Dirty Deborah Harry: wheels are the part you change — soft outdoors, hard indoors, hard at the skatepark (Dirty School of Skate, 21 Jun 2022). Lisa J also wants soft, gummy wheels outside (Boardwalk Skater, 25 Apr 2023, updated 26 Sep 2023).
- Estro Jen tells park beginners not to bring their soft outdoor wheels to the skatepark — outdoor wheels are, for her too, the soft ones (Estro Jen, 9 Jan 2021). Her outdoor tips video talks technique, not gear (Moxi, 3 May 2020).
- No skater gives a number. Moxi’s wheel guide, unsigned and undated, puts outdoor at 78A-90A with a large diameter (Moxi, read 7 Oct 2026) — a brand, not a skater.
- Size. Dunbeezy: bigger wheels for distance in town (they roll over obstacles and go faster); for dance outside, a wheel close to the indoor size but a little taller, around 62 x 30 mm, so the plate does not rub; for distance, a wider, softer jam wheel (Dunbeezytv, 7 Jan 2025).
- No “indoor/outdoor” wheel. Dunbeezy sees generic wheels sold for both as a warning sign on a cheap skate: one wheel cannot do both (Dunbeezytv, 13 Aug 2024).
Boot: firm, padded, real leather or suede
- Lisa J calls the boot the most important part: firm and padded, leather or suede (Boardwalk Skater, 2023).
- Dunbeezy: real leather, because synthetic does not shape to the foot; a bright-coloured boot often signals a non-leather one (Dunbeezytv, 13 Aug 2024).
- Dirty Deborah Harry likes a boot with no heel or a minimal heel for derby and also outside; the boot should fit “like a slipper”, and ankle support exists in entry-level skates too (Dirty School of Skate, 2022).
Plate and cushions
- Metal, never plastic: Lisa J (aluminium or magnesium) and Dunbeezy (aluminium; a jump bar adds stability).
- On the street, Caro runs softer cushions than at the park, for more mobility (Moxi, 7 Oct 2020). One detailed opinion only.
Toe stop
- Adjustable: Dunbeezy counts it among his three quality markers; Dirty Deborah Harry calls a fixed “bullseye” stop entry level.
- Caro sets her street toe stop lower, to push and stop fast, and judges a wheel by how well she can stop on it (Moxi, 7 Oct 2020).
Disagreements and gaps
- Heel height: Dirty Deborah Harry prefers little or no heel outside; Caro rides a stock high-top Moxi street skate. Nobody compares the two outdoors.
- No hardness number, bearing advice or pad advice specific to outdoor skating from a skater in our compilation. Lisa J’s and Dunbeezy’s standing is not independently verified; Caro and Estro Jen are tied to Moxi.
From the skater behind this site
- 78A to 85A outside, 95A and up on a rink floor. Pavement has grain; a hard wheel sends all of it into your feet, a soft one gives a little and absorbs it. That is why the same skates feel like different skates after a wheel change. See why your skates feel awful outside.
- Quad caveat: he skated inline and only learned on quads; take his quad points with care. His outdoor quad pages draw on a certified coach: outside is harder, not impossible, the fall to watch is backwards, a hip bounce keeps wheels out of gaps, a turn is also a stop, outdoor turns are whole-body moves.
The comparison
Only products already read on Amazon.com on 7 October 2026.
| Model | Price seen (date, where) | Who it is for | Recommended features it meets | Weak point |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Moxi Panther Roller Skates | Amazon.com $199.00 (B0853B4WTY), read 2026-10-07 | Beginner who wants the skate a pro rides on the street | Caro Hernandez's street skate, ridden stock with its soft wheels; high-top suede boot (firm padded boot, Lisa J) | Plate, wheel hardness and toe stop not stated on the listing; Caro softened the cushions and changed the bearings |
| Moxi Lolly Roller Skate - Fashionable Womens Quad Roller Skate | Amazon.com $329.00 (size 8, Clementine Orange; “only 5 left”) (B07HHH14D2), read 2026-10-07 | Outdoor skater ready to spend more | Named by Lisa J; high-top suede boot (firm padded boot, Lisa J); 65 x 35 mm Moxi Classic outdoor wheels, 78A (soft, in the skater-behind-this-site range) | Nylon plate, not the aluminium Lisa J and Dunbeezy ask for; toe stop not stated in the listing bullets; not for children 12 and under |
| Sure-Grip Boardwalk Unisex Outdoor Roller Skates, Leather Boots, 82A Wheels | Amazon.com $199.99 (Mens 9 / Womens 10, Teaberry; “only 14 left”) (B096BMZVHN), read 2026-10-07 | Outdoor skater who wants a leather boot | The Boardwalk name Lisa J recommends; leather boot (Lisa J, Dunbeezy); aluminium trucks; adjustable rubber toe stops; 82A outdoor wheels, inside the 78A-85A range of the skater behind this site | Plate material not stated; 57 mm wheels on the default colour (65 mm on Black and Tan); ABEC 3 bearings |
| Moxi Beach Bunny | Amazon.com $119.20 (B0781889KN), read 2026-10-07 | Outdoor beginner on a mid budget | Named by Lisa J; aluminium plate; 78A wheels (soft, in the skater-behind-this-site range); adjustable toe stop | Low-top vinyl boot, not the leather Dunbeezy asks for; same brand as Caro's video (Moxi) |
| Impala Quad Skate | Amazon.com $91.36 ("only 1 left") (B07N7PZ84S), read 2026-10-07 | Tight budget | Aluminium plate (Lisa J, Dunbeezy); 82A wheels, soft | Fixed toe stop (entry level for Dirty Deborah Harry, a warning sign for Dunbeezy); synthetic low-top boot |
| Radar Energy 62 mm 78A wheels, 4 pack | Amazon.com $40.00 (B01N7TRWOK), read 2026-10-07 | Turning indoor skates into outdoor skates | Soft 78A outdoor wheel; the swap Dirty Deborah Harry and Dunbeezy describe | Sold by 4: a pair of skates needs two packs |
| Sure-Grip Boardwalk wheels, 65 mm, set of 8 | Amazon.com $77.99 (B00US7HCFQ), read 2026-10-07 | Longer rides on rough paths | The Boardwalk name Lisa J recommends; 78A, soft (in the skater-behind-this-site range); bigger wheel for distance (Dunbeezy) | Lisa J may mean the Boardwalk skate, not this wheel; this 78A, 65 mm wheel is not the 82A wheel listed on the complete Boardwalk skate (57 mm on its default colour) |
| Generic 65 x 35 mm 78A quad wheels, 8 pack | Amazon.com $36.90 (B09WR3DS2F), read 2026-10-07 | Cheapest outdoor wheel swap | 78A, sold as outdoor; full set of 8 | Unbranded; no skater in our sources names it |
| Moxi Classic - Outdoor Roller Skate Wheels - 4 Pack 78A Wheels | Amazon.com $45.00 (Clementine, 4 pack; “only 18 left”) (B0CB72KYP5), read 2026-10-07 | Turning indoor skates into outdoor skates | Soft 78A outdoor wheel, 65 x 35 mm; the swap Dirty Deborah Harry and Dunbeezy describe | Sold by 4: a pair of skates needs two packs; we could not find the “gummy” wheel Caro rides under that name, and this listing does not say it is the same wheel |
| Triple Eight Certified Sweatsaver Helmet | Amazon.com $54.99 (B077VYDVDY), read 2026-10-07 | Everyone | Certified hard-shell helmet | Check the size chart |
| Triple Eight Wristsaver | Amazon.com $26.00 (B0000DZIJ6), read 2026-10-07 | Everyone | Wrist guards | Wrist only |
Our pick
A quad with an aluminium plate, a firm boot and an adjustable toe stop, on soft wheels. The Beach Bunny comes with 78A wheels; if you already own rink skates, a set of soft wheels (two packs of Radar Energy, or the 8-pack Boardwalk) is the change Dirty Deborah Harry and Dunbeezy describe. Helmet and wrist guards from day one.
Beginner FAQ
What wheel hardness do I need for outdoor quad skates?
Soft. Caro Hernandez, Dunbeezy, Dirty Deborah Harry and Lisa J all say soft wheels outside, but none of them gives a number in our sources. The numbers come from the skater behind this site (78A to 85A outdoors) and from Moxi's unsigned wheel guide (78A to 90A).
Can I use the same quad skates indoors and outdoors?
Yes, by swapping wheels. Dirty Deborah Harry says any pair will do at first and you change wheels for the place: soft outdoors, hard indoors. Dunbeezy adds that a very smooth outdoor floor, like a tennis court, takes indoor wheels.
Are indoor/outdoor wheels a good compromise?
Dunbeezy says no: he treats generic wheels sold as both indoor and outdoor as a warning sign on a cheap skate, because one wheel cannot do both jobs.
What should I check on a cheap outdoor quad skate?
Dunbeezy names three things: a real leather boot, an aluminium plate and an adjustable toe stop. Lisa J also rules out plastic plates, and Dirty Deborah Harry calls a fixed bullseye toe stop entry level.
Are soft outdoor wheels easier for a beginner?
Caro Hernandez says so: soft wheels put less impact on the knees and suit beginners on rough, unpolished ground. Dunbeezy gives the reason: hard wheels absorb shocks poorly.
How this page was compiled: 5 skaters and coaches who talk about outdoor quad gear (Caro Hernandez, Dunbeezy, Dirty Deborah Harry, Lisa J, Estro Jen), drawn from our skater compilation of 7 October 2026, plus the notes of the skater behind this site. Each claim links to its dated source. Full compilation and method: the skater gear compilation.
Read next: outdoor wheels: what to buy · first quad skates for the skatepark · first quad skates for rink and jam · quad vs inline · protective gear that actually fits · wheel hardness tool · size calculator · can you skate in the rain?
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